Darius Kurn
Darius Kurn is a character in The Silver Moon Rebellion, a Dungeons & Dragons game set in the world of Sorakos. Basic Overview Full Name: Darius Kurn Level: 4 Race: Human Class: Sorcerer (Storm) Gender: Male Age: 32 Background Background Title: Occupation: Criminal Background Bonus: Class Skill (Thievery) Biography: A former town mayor in the Borderlands who gained his position by skills of subterfuge and deceit and lost it to outright force: a coup d'eat from his own brother Andros. His brother coerced the town soothsayer into invoking an ancient ritual, transforming himself into a demonic creature capable of uttering an entrancing voice which subjugates the will of all around him. The entire entranced town answered solely to Andros... including Darius's wife and two children. The soothsayer reminded Andros of their bargain for the ritual: the soothsayer alone must be allowed to sacrifice the town's former leader to bring blessing to the reign of the new one... The soothsayer took Darius to the ancient cairns outside the city; there, Darius interrogated him for why he granted such power to his brother. The soothsayer replied, "To teach you a lesson, Darius; you were not fit to rule. You gained your position through manipulation, but a great leader knows that sometimes one must seize power for himself." The soothsayer began consecrating the ritual grounds with his storm-enchanted dagger, an artifact won from a past life that would amplify the user's might far beyond his mortal capabilities. Darius heeded the soothsayer's lesson. He broke free from his bonds, took the dagger for himself and skewered the soothsayer deeply. He broke and ran, wielding the dagger that could make a magicless man into a sorcerer supreme. As the soothsayer's corpse shuddered back to life, he muttered, "Mi'lady, I hope that you have chosen wisely..." Darius traveled to the Garnician Republic to learn to harness his newfound magical abilities. However, ignorant as he was of the Republic's antipathetic attitudes towards unlicensed mages, he was accosted by the mage hunters. They brought him to Captain Keonis Li in Gateway, and she offered a simple bargain. He would be granted a mage license and the instruction of the finest instructors within the region to master his abilities, vanquish Andros and regain his city. However, to do so, he would have to make use of the illicit talents that won him the mayor's seat. He would use them to infiltrate the Silver Moon Rebellion, posing as an aspiring freedom fighter and secretly ferreting information to bring the rebellion down. Once the rebellion was quashed, the resources of the Republic would be his. Darius may not yet know who is, for he alters himself relentlessly whenever doing so would give him an advantage. What he does know: he cares deeply for his family and countrymen and he would gladly doom an entire freedom-seeking movement if it would win his city back. Time and events may tell if this may yet change. Ability Scores Strength: 10 (+0) Constitution: 13 (+1) Dexterity: 16 (+3) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 8 (-1) Charisma: 20 (+5) Speed: 6 squares Maximum Hit Points: 40 Healing Surges Per Day: 7 Armor Class: 18 Fortitude: 14 Reflex: 16 Will: 20 Saving Throw Bonuses: None Resistances: Resist 5 Lightning, Resist 5 Thunder Skills Acrobatics: +5 Arcana: +7 Athletics: +7 Bluff: +14 Diplomacy: +14 Dungeoneering: +1 Endurance: +3 Heal: +1 History: +2 Insight: +1 Intimidate: +7 Nature: +1 Perception: +1 Religion: +2 Stealth: +12 Streetwise: +7 Thievery: +10 Unique Traits Racial Features: * Bonus Feat: Gain an extra feat at 1st level * Bonus Skill: Gain one additional skill from your class skill list * Human Defense Bonuses: +1 Fort, Ref, Will * Heroic Effort: You gain the Heroic Effort power. Class/Path/Destiny Features: * Storm Power: Add Dexterity bonus to damage rolls of arcane powers * Storm Soul: Gain Resist 5 Thunder and Resist 5 Lightning. Lightning and thunder arcane powers ignore 5 points of enemy thunder and lightning resistance. Once per encounter when hit, can lose your resistances to gain +4 to all defenses for one turn as an immediate interrupt. * Storm's Embrace: When you roll a natural 20 against an enemy with a thunder or lightning spell, push that enemy one square and you fly 4 squares in addition to the spell's other effects. Languages: Common, Giant Feats: * Armor Proficiency (Leather): Gain proficiency with leather armor. * Improved Initiative: +4 on Initiative checks * Superior Implement Training (Lancing Dagger): Gain proficiency with the lancing dagger. * Twilight Adept: Gain Stealth as a class skill, use Cunning Sneak 1/encounter Powers * Heroic Effort, Encounter (Racial) * Acid Orb ("Lightning Blast"), At-Will * Blazing Starfall ("Electrical Burst"), At-Will * Bedeviling Burst ("Staggering Shock"), Encounter 1 * Howling Tempest, Daily 1 * Sorcerous Sirocco, Utility 2 * Flame Spiral ("Cloak of Storms"), Encounter 3 * Note: Darius uses a Lightning dagger as an implement, which causes spells like Fire spells to lose their Fire keyword and gain the Lightning keyword instead. This is primarily to keep with my character's storm-based theme; I'd rather describe hitting foes with charged lightning bursts than burning them. Equipment * Lightning Lancing Dagger +1 * Skald's Leather Armor +1 * Cloak of Distortion +1 * Hedge Wizard's Gloves * Boots of Stealth (Heroic) * Adventuring Kit * Climbing Kit * Charlatan's Kit * Footpads * Thieves' Tools * Fine Clothing x2 * Regalia Trivia * Darius wears a broad metallic armguard at all times that attaches his storm dagger by a mithral chain. The armguard bears a lengthwise clasp on its outside edge to secure the dagger when it's not held. However, the dagger unerringly has been shown to leap out of the clasp without prompting, borne aloft by unearthly winds. * His storm dagger acts with apparent volition: it has pointed in the direction of ambushers and strained the chain mightily to hurl itself towards the heavens in the midst of a thunderstorm. It crackles, sparks, and lashes the chain violently when combat is imminent. Even if if has not communicated, Darius suspects that the dagger is intelligent. He seeks access to lore than might provide the dagger's name and history.... and true purpose. * Darius loathes bloodshed in all its forms. The town soothsayer was the first person that he had ever slain, doing so under threat of his own imminent demise. He always resorts to persuasion, subtlety and showmanship to solve problems and actively - sometimes cowardly - eschews violence. The dagger's seeming bloodthirstiness greatly concerns him. * In fact, Darius has no innate magical abilities of his own! The entirety of his sorcerous gifts are imbued by his artifacts, with only a smattering of arcane knowledge gleaned from his dealings with an Eladrin conclave near his former city. The storm dagger imbues him - a magicless mortal - with a ferocious capacity to summon and siphon the tempest. However, it is his enchanted gloves that are his favorite possession. They grant the wearer the ability to perform a suite of conjurer's tricks, ranging from creating light to flavoring food to bearing jam jars through the air. These powers appeal to his dual loves of theatricality and creature comfort. Telekinesis gives him particular glee.